Builders broke ground on more homes in July

A zero net energy home under construction is seen from the interior of another at The Preserve at Mountain Vista in New Paltz, N.Y.

WASHINGTON – U.S. developers broke ground on homes at a faster pace in July.

But the rise was all due to apartment construction, which is typically volatile. By contrast, builders began work on fewer single-family homes – the bulk of the market – and sought fewer permits to build them.

Friday’s report from the Commerce Department suggests that home building is maintaining its recovery but might be starting to be restrained by higher mortgage rates.

Builders began work on houses and apartments at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 896,000 in July, the department said. That was up 6 percent from June, though below a recent peak of more than 1 million in March. Construction began on 26 percent more apartments but declined 2.2 percent for single-family houses.

The dip in single-family starts comes after other measures of the housing market have flattened or declined. It may signal that higher loan rates have begun to weigh on housing, which has otherwise steadily recovered since earlier last year.

Mortgage applications by potential homebuyers have fallen 15 percent since the end of April. Signed contracts to buy homes slipped in June after reaching a six-year high in May.

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